HERSHEY >> The Pennridge wrestling team was where it set out to be Saturday morning, competing on the third and final day of the PIAA-3A Team Championships.
“All week long, we told the team one thing – our main, main, main goal, wrestle on Saturday,” Rams coach Brian Kuhns said. “I mean, you know the Bethlehem Catholics, guys like that, we knew we weren’t going to compete with them. But we didn’t know how far we could go in this.
“So the goal was I’m bringing a blazer, I want to wrestle on Saturday.”
Five matches into its dual meet against Central Dauphin in the consolation third round, Pennridge found itself on even terms with the District 3 champs at 10-10 after a Sam Kuhns major decision at 139 pounds.
Pennridge’s Ryan Rowe takes down Central Dauphin’s Eli Poyer during 189-pound match at the PIAA-3A Team Wrestling Championship on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023 at the Giant Center in Hershey. (MIke Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
Central Dauphin, however, took the next four, a run capped by a frustrating loss at 189 decided by a stalling point that left Pennridge down 27-9 after getting docked an unsportsmanlike conduct point.
The District 1 champions’ bid for a comeback would not happen, a 30-22 defeat ending their tournament but the Giant Center experience was hopefully a good jumping-off point heading into the individual postseason.
“I think a lot of our kids got this over the weekend of hey we belong here,” Brian Kuhns said. “This floor isn’t that intimidating. Not coming out you think it’s this crazy magical place where it’s just stress filled and same-sized mat, two refs, scorecard, all that other stuff. So it was awesome. I think awesome weekend for us.”
Pennridge, at state duals for the first time since 2015 after claiming the program’s first-ever district title, started Saturday by jumping out to a 6-0 lead. In the opening bout at 114, Cole Coffin collected a 10-3 decision while Quinn McBride erased a 3-1 deficit in the third period with a takedown and near fall to earn a 6-3 decision at 121.
Pennridge’s Riley Cullen looks to pin Central Dauphin’s Anthony Robsock during their 285-pound match at the PIAA-3A Team Wrestling Championship on Saturrday, Feb. 11, 2023 at the Giant Center in Hershey. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
“Usually when I’m down in big matches I get down really hard on myself and I start losing my head,” said McBride, a freshman who improved to 13-4 on the season. “But I kept my cool, pushed the pace and then found an opening then threw it.”
Central Dauphin answered with a Liam Flanagan major decision at 127 then a Dallas Schorr’s pin in 2:10 at 133 to go up 10-6 but Sam Kuhns’ 13-5 major decision at 139 pounds knotted things at 10.
Gavin Reynolds gave Central Dauphin back the lead with his pin in 4:26 at 142 with Matt Repos – a state finalist last season at 132 – extended the District 3 side’s advantage to 21-10 with a 16-0 technical fall in 4:35 at 152 pounds.
“I was telling my team at the start, we got nothing to lose, we’re going to come out here and battle, do our thing,” McBride said. “No one believed we would make it out here, no in District 1, they all have their doubts on us but we showed them wrong, showed them why we’re the best.”
Central Dauphin’s Matt Repos works on a takedown against Pennridge’s Gio Iadonisi at 152 pounds during the PIAA-3A Team Wrestling Championship on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023 at the Giant Center in Hershey. (Mike CAbrey/MediaNews Group)
After Michael Beers’ 4-0 decision made it a 14-point margin, Pennridge’s Talan Hogan and CD’s Ryan Garvick – who placed second at 160 a year ago at states – battled in a tight contest at 172. Tied 2-2 in the third, a second stalling call on Hogan gave Garvick the winning point.
“Honestly, I think he did knock off a returning state medalist,” Brian Kuhns said. “I mean, they call stalling with 20 seconds left when we had three shots, he had no shots. So I hate when it comes down to that and obviously we should’ve found another opportunities to wrestle it but you got a match that competitive at a state duals, refs shouldn’t be the ones deciding it.
“So that should be a big boost to him and we told him that you can beat that kid. Just to have that mentality, now knowing I can go in, I can compete with a kid that’s probably going to be rivaling for a state championship this year, it’s a great thing.”
Ryan Rowe pulled Pennridge to within 27-12 with his 9-4 decision at 189 but Luke Nye sealed the victory for Central Dauphin at 215 as he rallied from a 3-0 deficit to post a 7-3 decision.
Pennridge’ Colby Martinelli holds onto Central Dauphin’s Thunder Beard during their 107-pound match at the PIAA-3A Team Wrestling Championship on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023 at the Giant Center in Hershey. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)
At 285, Riley Cullen proceeded to give Pennridge its lone pin of the dual in 1:39.
“Riley Cullen’s a JV wrestler his junior year, .500 wrestler last year and now he’s got 21 pins on the season,” Brian Kuhn said. “I think the record at Pennridge is 24 pins, he has a shot to break that record, so love the fact that we develop so many kids in these last three years and that’s why we’re here.”
Colby Martinelli added one more win for Pennridge with an 8-6 decision at 107.
Central Dauphin went on to beat Central Mountain 33-23 in the consolation semifinals then took third place with a 36-31 victory over Canon-McMillan.
Bethlehem Catholic won the PIAA-3A title for the second straight season with a 35-23 over Nazareth. It is the ninth state title for the Golden Hawks, the last five coming in 3A.
